MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE JOURNEY by Antonia Fraser

Poor young Marie Antoinette. She never stood a chance really. Life was never going to be easy for her. The daughter of the Austrian emperor with her mother Empress Theresa helming the ship, just like all daughters of any type of royalty anywhere, she was simply a pawn, a piece of property to be traded and used to bolster the fortunes and alliances of the Austro-Hungarian empire. At the age of 14 she was betrothed to the 15 year old dauphin of France - son of Louis V. There wasn't much hope for poor young Louis either, grossly ill-equipped to be king of France, lacking the qualities that made his father and grandfather successful monarchs. The marriage of the two, and symbolically the union of France and Austria, was never wanted or popular with the French, so Marie Antoinette was on the back foot from the start. 

This biography has been lauded as the definitive biography of Marie Antoinette, and by association the years leading up to the French Revolution, during and immediately after - a potted history of France at this time. And the life of the French court at Versailles - incredible really. What a terrible horrible ghastly environment to throw a 15 year old girl - pretty, bright and lively but with no outstanding talents or intellect. Her one job was to produce a male heir and if she was lucky a spare. There is quite a story behind that crucial mission, which did nothing to enhance her standing at court or in France. Not her fault at all. As for the phrase 'let them eat cake', she never said that. The campaign of hate started before she left Austria, and continued even after her death, and that of Louis. 

It is a huge book, chock full of information, facts, stories, history, all sorts of people, intrigue, drama  - far too much to read in large doses. But a slow read means better retention of the content. Watching the Sofia Coppola movie Marie Antoinette which was heavily based on this book is a wonderful visualisation of a life and time in history that was never going to end well.